Simple ways to save money on your heating/energy bills

If you’re like most people, you’re always looking for ways to save money. Your energy bills are no exception. 

As the temperature outside begins to drop, our energy bills begin to rise, especially so at the moment with the current price increases, but there are some simple ways, however, that you can save money on your heating bills without making any major changes or sacrifices. By following a few of these tips, you can keep your home warm and comfortable all winter long without breaking the bank.

• Set your thermostat to the lowest comfortable temperature. 

You might not realise it, but your boiler uses a lot of energy. In fact, it’s one of the biggest energy users in your home. Turning down the thermostat, even by one or two degrees, can save a significant amount of money on your heating bills and help to prolong the life of your boiler.

• Install a programmable thermostat.

This allows you to set different temperatures for different times of the day, so you can save money by lowering the temperature when you are away from home or asleep. This can be really useful in maximising comfort and saving money on your energy bills.  For example, if you know you’re going to be out of the house during the day, you can program your boiler to only operate while you’re home. This way, you’re not heating an empty house and wasting energy.

• Seal any air leaks around windows and doors. 

This can prevent warm air from escaping your home, making your heating system more efficient.

By installing things such as weather stripping on doors and windows and or draught excluders, can help to seal in warm air and keep out drafts, which can save you money on heating costs and are reletively inexpensive.

• Use a space heater in rooms that you use most frequently.

This can allow you to lower the thermostat in your home, while still keeping the rooms that you use most comfortable.

• Use heavy curtains or blinds to block drafts and keep warm air inside.

• Insulate your attic and walls. 

Proper insulation can help to keep your home warm in the winter and cool in the summer, saving you money on heating and cooling costs.

According to the Energy Saving Trust, insulating your water tank, pipes and radiators could save you around £25 a year on your energy bills. This is because heat is lost through uninsulated surfaces, which means that your boiler has to work harder to maintain the same temperature. In addition, insulating your pipes can help to prevent them from freezing in cold weather.

Insulating your water tank is also a good idea if it is located in an unheated area, such as a loft space or garage. In order to insulate your water tank, you will need to purchase a water tank jacket. These are available from most DIY stores/plumbers merchants. 

For radiators, it is best not to use decorative covers as these block and/or trap the heat, preventing it from circulating around the room and giving false readings to the TRV causing it to close earlier than needed.

Finally, for pipes, you can use lengths of lagging pipe insulation. Simply cut the lagging to size and then fit it around the pipe. Lagging can be held in place with tape or wire ties. Insulating your water tank, pipes and radiators is a simple and effective way to reduce your energy consumption and save money on your energy bills.

• Have your heating system professionally serviced regularly/annually.

This can help to ensure that it is operating efficiently and can save you money on energy costs.

• Consider switching to a more energy-efficient heating system.

If your current system is old and inefficient, replacing it with a newer, more efficient model can save you a significant amount of money on your heating bills.

Investing in a new, energy-efficient appliance is probably the best way to reduce your energy usage. This is because they use less energy to operate, which can save you money on your energy bills.

• Install Thermostatic Radiator Valves (TRVs)

If you’re looking for a way to control the temperature in each room of your home individually, thermostatic radiator valves (TRVs) are a great option. TRVs can be installed on your existing radiators, and they work by regulating the flow of hot water through the radiator based on the current room temperature. This means that you can set each room to the temperature that you want, without having to worry about overheating or wasting energy. Plus, TRVs can help improve your home’s overall energy efficiency.

We hope you found the tips in this article useful, if however, you would like a professional to carry out any of these tasks then please call us and a member of our friendly team will book you an appointment.